Meet you again on the Shichigosan festival
by Arienhod
Summary: Six years after the Great War Van comes on the Mystic Moon to ask Hitomi to return on Gaea with him. But what else will he find?


**Made for the Mothly Challenge of the Guild on Neopets called Anime FanFiction Club. Please review, I want to know if it's goon enough **

* * *

A young woman smiled seeing a boy in front of her finally completely dressed in his brand new red hakama. But he didn't share her enthusiasm at all. Little black-haired boy stood in the middle of his room sulking. 

"Come on Ryu, you look cute." Hitomi smiled to the boy as he bounced o his bed angry "All of your friends are going in the shrines with their parents, you know that. You can go and play with them when we get back. Or you can help me prepare everything for tomorrow."

"But mom, I look funny in this."

"You think you look funny. Yuuhi's mother bought him a hakama with flower pattern." Ryu lifted his gaze and looked at his mother's smiling face "I think those were sakura flowers on it."

A grin spread on the boy's face "Really?"

"Would I lie to my little dragon?" she kneeled in front of her five-year-old son "Beside, what's wrong with your outfit?"

"Red is such a girly color." He said and earned a chuckle from Hitomi.

"You now, your father used to wear a red shirt all the time." She said trying to stay calm in front of him. Talking about Ryu's father was ever easy for her.

"Was it his favorite?" the boy's eyes glowed at the mention of a father he never got to know accept from his mother's stories.

"I suppose you could say it was." She smiled "Ready to go?"

"I am, but you should change mom." He said pointing to her outfit.

Hitomi looked down on herself and noticed she was still wearing sweatpants and a wide washout shirt. Grinning to herself she left to her bedroom to change when the doorbell ringed. Sighing she was about to get and open the door when Ryu ran passes her and opened the door himself smiling to his grandmother that came to go with them in the shrine.

"Hey mom." Hitomi called from the bedroom door.

When Hiromi Kanzaki looked at her daughter she shook her head "You told me not to be late cause you have so much to do today, and now you are the one we are waiting for."

"I wouldn't be if Ryu cooperated." Hitomi said picking out a light turtleneck, a long skirt and a passing jacket. It was a mild autumn so a coat wasn't necessary, but she took it anyway as well as Ryu's winter jacket.

She was all set to go but her mother had different plans. She was with Ryu in his room and was trying to get him to change in a dark blue hakama she brought him.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Hitomi asked a bit annoyed by her mother's attempts to have things her way every time.

"Red is such a girly color." She repeated the words Hitomi already heard that day coming out of her son's mouth, but this time Ryu didn't mind.

"Yeah, but my dad likes red color. Mommy said so." Miss Kanzaki turned to her daughter and sighed.

"It's been almost six years Hitomi. Let go."

"No mom, he will come."

* * *

"Is everything prepared?" a cat-girl lifted her head and saw a young man with messed black hair standing on the doorway "Is everything prepared Merle?" he asked again. 

"Yes Lord Van." She said with a grin "The room is cleaned and the bed fresh made. Seamstress wais informed this morning and so was the cook." She pondered a bit to remember what else she was suppose to do "Ah, yes. Millerna send a message they will all be here tomorrow at noon. As will duke Chid."

"Thank you Merle." Young king of Fanelia turned to leave when his adopted-sister spoke "She'll make you happy Lord Van. She is waiting for you and she'll come back on Gaea and make you happy."

A wide smile spread on his face as he walked out of the palace and towards the gravesite where the Ispano guymelef guarded over his kingdom. The pink pendant she gave him almost six years ago glowed faintly as Van looked over Fanelia before a light pillar surrounded him and carried him on the Mystic Moon. On Earth. Where Hitomi waited.

When the light vanished Van looked around the unknown territory and after few moments noticed it wasn't so unknown as he thought. In fact he remembered quite well being here before at the small shrine on the hill. This is where he fought with the dragon that night when he first met Hitomi. The night when she slapped him for behaving like an idiot and not wanting to thank her even if she deserved it for saving his life.

The shrine was empty and there was no one around and for the first time Van Fanel started to doubt his idea. He rushed here, on the foreign planet, without first considering how he was supposed to find just one person among millions. He thought she would be there waiting, but only the sounds of the forest surrounded him.

"Where are you Hitomi?" he whispered.

* * *

To Van it seemed like hours have passed since he came on the Mystic Moon when child's laughter brought him out of daydreaming. He was imagining about how Hitomi might react on seeing him again after almost six years but all thoughts vanished as a little boy in strange clothing ran up the stairs before he turned back. 

"Come on grandma, hurry up!" he yelled ad than laughed again "You're slow."

Van smiled at the boy's innocence and stood up from his place on the first stairs of the small shrine. The boy heard him move and turned.

Van thought the foreign boy would run away from him, after all he was a stranger, but he didn't. He walked closer and smiled "Hallo mister. What are you doing here all alone?"

"I was hoping I'd find someone." Van answered, but still revealing nothing that might jeopardize him. The last thing he needed was raising panic by spreading the story he's from another planet.

"I like your shirt." The random change of subject surprised Van "I didn't wanted to wear red hakama today on Shichi-go-san, but my mom said it wasn't a girly color."

"Your mom is right." Van smiled to the boy.

"She said my dad's favorite shirt is red."

Van was about to say something when female voice cut him off "Ryu, how many times must I tell you to wait for me?" an older woman stood on top of the stairs and looked at Van "And not to talk to strangers?"

"But he is not a stranger." Ryu said to his angry grandmother "His name is… is…" Ryu turned away from his grandmother towards the dark-haired man "What is your name?"

"Come on Ryu." Miss Kanzaki said before Van had the chance to answer "Your mom is probably finished by now so we can finally go in the shrine."

"Can he come with us?" Ryu asked pointing to Van, on his grandmother's annoyance.

"Ryu, your mother wouldn't appreciate it. You can't just bring a complete stranger…"

"He's not a stranger mom."

Van looked passes the older woman and his eyes wide upon seeing the one he was looking for. Hitomi's hair was pass her shoulders now and she developed the right curves, but beside from that she was the same girl he fell in love with. Almost the same girl.

"You know him mommy?" Ryu ran to her and she lifted him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah, I know him." She put him back down and looker at her mother "Mom, why don't you and Ryu go ahead? We'll catch on."

"He's coming to?" Ryu pointed to Van who still stood on the place dumbfounded by the fact Hitomi had a child.

"I suppose." Hitomi answered and her mother took Ryu's hand and the two of them went down the stairs.

When they left Hitomi turned to Van only to find him snapped out of the confusion. Instead he looked angry and even betrayed.

"Van, I can expl-"

"Save it Hitomi!" He snapped at her "I came to ask you to come back on Gaea, but that might be hard considering the father might not like it."

"Why don't we ask him?" Hitomi said back "So, what do you think Van?"

* * *

"Grandma? Who do you think is that mister?" Ryu asked when they were back on the sidewalk "And why does it takes so long?" 

"Ryu, that ma is your father. He's-" young boy turned and looked in his grandmother in shock and before she had the chance to react his pulled his little hand out of hers and ran back up the stairs "Ryu? Come back!"

Hitomi heard her mother calling and turned just in time to see Ryu standing on the top of the stairs before he ran to Van and hugged him. It was obvious on his face that he was taken back by the small gesture and when he looked at Hitomi Van could see her smile.

"You still haven's answered my question. Do you mind if I go back on Gaea?" she asked smugly "Oh, and I'm bringing the little dragon with me."

"Dragon?" Van asked confused and looked at the little boy that still held his hands around Van's legs.

"Ryu means dragon. Didn't you know that daddy?"

"I do now." Van answered smiling.

* * *

Van walked next to Hitomi towards the large shrine with Ryu on his right holding his hand tightly. The boy was so happy he's father was here he wouldn't want to risk it and lose him in the crowd. But he let go of Van's hand when Yuuhi, Ryu's friend from the building noticed him and waived. 

"Who's that?" Yuuhi asked Ryu and the dark-haired boy turned to the man next to his mother ad then back to his friend.

"That's my dad." He said with pride.

Van ignored the confusion of the other boy and instead turned to Hitomi to find out more about this festival Ryu mentioned when they met "What is this Shi-go-san festival?"

"It's Shichi-go-san. Let's see… it's children's festival. More specific children aged three, five and seven."

"Ryu is five, right?" Van asked casually and Hitomi grinned.

"You should know; you were there when he was conceived." Her answer made the young king blush "That is why he is wearing a hakama."

"That strange clothing?" it was more than obvious Van had no knowledge of Japanese customs.

"Yes, and my mom went to buy something else linked with the festival. You should know what it is, considering it's a children festival."

Van smiled "Candy?"

Ryu looked at his mom "Grandma went to buy chitose-ame? When is she coming?"

"She's not. We are gonna go there and visit grandfather and uncle Mamoru, ok?" Hitomi asked hiding the real reason of the visit.

"Is daddy coming with us?" Ryu asked grabbing Van's hand once more before they stepped in the shrine.

"I don't have much choice. Neither you or your mom are willing to let me go now that I'm here." Van joked and earned a light punch from Hitomi on the arm.

Later that evening Ryu realized why they went to visit his grandparents. Mom wanted to say goodbye cause they would leave tomorrow.

Everyone listened in awe as Hitomi and Van talked about Gaea and the Great War. Hitomi suggested that her family come with them on Gaea, but her father refused "Your brother needs to finish school and I got my job."

"Dad, you are an architect. Trust me, there will be plenty of job for you there." Hitomi tried to make him change his mind but it wasn't working. Until her mother interrupted her attempts.

"Leave it to me sweetie. I'll deal with him later. Well be ready to follow in three months." She smiled to her husbands insulted face that changed to amused when Ryu piped in "Grandma… about the sweetie…"

"Yes, about the sweetie…" Hitomi's fifteen-year-old brother repeated.

"I don't have candy for you Mamoru." Miss Kanzaki said "But I do have an early Birthday cake and a present for my grandson."

When Van opened his eyes the next morning and tried to get up he noticed the weight on his shoulder. But seeing it was Hitomi who fell asleep using his as a pillow he closed his eyes again and enjoyed having her close after so long.

But the calm moments were gone as a small boy ran in the room without knocking and jumped on the bed. Or to be more specific on he's father's stomach.

"Uf, you're heavy." Van panted and moved his son between him and Hitomi who woke up too when Ryu made his entrance.

"When do we leave?" she asked Van.

"How much time you need to pack?" he asked back.

"I don't need clothes cause they wouldn't fit on Gaea anyway and my mom said she'll take care of the apartment and the furniture." Then she grinned "All accept this little one, but we can leave him here too."

"Hey!" Ryu objected and they laughed.

"Don't worry" Van said "I won't let her leave you behind."

"I knew you wouldn't." Ryu hugged Van and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

* * *

Merle paced up and down the dining room where everyone gathered. It was pass noon and Van should already be back with Hitomi. But the guards still haven't noticed the pillar returning them. Others didn't share her concern; they were bored. 

Princess Millerna played with the lock of her hair and her husband Dryden pretended he was reading a book but constantly turned his gaze to the door. Knight Allen was observing tapestry on the wall and his sister Celena stood next to young duke Chid and looked out the window counting the clouds on the sky.

A knock on the door signaled the king returned and everyone jumped from their seats to greet their old friend but then the door opened and no sound was heard.

Van stood on the doorway holding a boy in his arms and Hitomi stood next to him smiling at their shocked faces.

Merle scream startled them all as she ran towards Van and hugged Ryu "You little… you look just like Lord Van." And then she turned to Hitomi making the girl step back under the cat-girl's gaze "Why didn't you contact Lord Van sooner? Huh?"

"I tried you cat burglar, but nothing happened."

Merle was about to add something when other's rushed to the newcomers interrupting her. Not that she mind. Turning to Van Merle could clearly see how happy he was. Not only he had Hitomi back but a son also.

"Is that my Birthday cake?" Ryu pointed on the cake on the table.

"It is now." Van said "Happy Birthday."

When they all sat at the table Millerna smiled to Hitomi "We were worried Van won't find you. Where did you meet when he went up there?"

"Well, we were on out way in the shrine for the Shichi-go-san festival…"

* * *

**And they lived happily ever after...**


End file.
